Virginia winery featured in $200k Oscar swag bag

Virginia’s Greenhill Winery is the only wine producer to be included in this year’s US$200,000 lavish Oscar swag bag, with its blanc de blancs sparkler set to take centre stage.

Greenhill in Virginia is the only winery to be featured in the $200k gift bag

Greenhill Vineyards in Middleburg, Loudoun County, announced yesterday that its Chardonnay blanc de blancs sparkling wine was to be included in this year’s “Everyone Wins” gift bag, along with a complimentary tasting at the winery.

The extravagant gift bag is given to nominees in five Oscar categories – Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Director – at the February 28 awards.

Among the nominees who will receive this year’s gift bag are Tom Hardy, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Lawrence, Mark Ruffalo, Sylvester Stallone, Christian Bale and Rachel McAdams.

Speaking to Virginia’s Times-Mirror, Rebekah Pizana, marketing and sales director at the winery, said a mention by Visit Loudon in LA’s Dujour Magazine last year clinched them the spot in the coveted gift bag.

“The PR company that does the Oscar swag bags read it and called us up to select our wine, the only winery featured in the bag,” Pizana said.

Greenhill was founded in 2013 owner David Greenhill. Its blanc de blancs is made in the traditional method by winemaker Sébastien Marquet, who studied œnology and viticulture in his native Burgundy. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree at the Lycée Viti-œnologie de Beaune and a CFPPA business certificate in wine sales from the Lycée Viti-oenologie Macon Davaye.

However a tasting at Greenhill is only the tip of the iceberg when its comes to gifts lavished upon Academy Award nominees. Valued at around $200,000, this year’s gift bag is 30% higher in value than last year’s, which was estimated to be worth $160,000.

Among the most expensive gifts are a VIP all-access trip to Israel, said to be worth $55,000, and a year’s worth of Audi A4 rentals from Silvercar, apparently worth $45,000.

Here’s a full list of what’s inside the gift bags, as reported by the NY Daily News.

• Haze Dual V3 Vaporizer, $249.99.
• A vibrator by sex toy company Fiera, $250.
• A Vampire Breast Lift procedure which uses blood-derived growth factors to revive cleavage without implants, $1,900.
• Personalized MY M&Ms, $300.
• Ten thousand meals at animal shelters donated by Halo, Purely For Pets in your name — part of the “feed it forward” program, a gift valued at $6,300.
• A lifetime supply of Lizora tea nourishing skin cream and cleansing bar, $31,200.
• A year’s worth of fully loaded Audi A4 rentals, $45,000.
• Two first-class tickets to Israel with a 10-day stay at a five-star hotel. Includes meals, transportation and a private security escort, $55,000.
• The photo and video service Tribute will create a video montage of your family and friends, $125.
• Caolion face masks and pore scrubs, $134.
• Anti-aging Saint Luminosity Skin Serum, $193.
• A private trip to Japan for two, $54,000.
• Ten personal training session with celebrity trainer Alexis Sletzky, $900.
• A $300 shopping spree from women’s clothing company Belldini.
• ChapStick, $6.
• Cake bites by Chocolatines, $35.
• Deodorant by Dandi Patch, $21.
• Personal shopping and delivery by Delovery, $2,000
• Jewelry by Farm Wife Style, $25.
• Workout apparel by Fit Club TV, $6,250.
• Fabric cleaner by Gleener on the Go, $11.99.
• A three-day stay at the Golden Door Resort and Spa in San Marcos, Calif. $4,800.
• A trip to Sorrento, Italy, with a stay at the five-star Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria, $5,000.
• Three nights at Grand Hotel Tremezzo in the Lake Como region of Italy. $5,000.
• Wine tasting at Greenhill Winery & Vineyards in Virginia, $39. (and bottle of its Chardonnay blanc de blancs sparkling wine)
• Weight loss gummies by Hydroxycut, $19.88.
• Three fitness training sessions with Jay Cardiello of ABC’s “My Diet is Better Than Yours,” $1,400.
• Swiss-made toilet paper by Joseph’s Toiletries, $275.
• A custom Lat & Lo sterling silver necklace inscribed with the latitude and longitude coordinates to the Dolby Theater in California. $150.
• A reusable water bottle by Memobottle, $47.
• Mezcal handcrafted in San Baltazar Guelavila, Mexico by El Silencio, $75.
• A Mission1 Clean Protein bar, $5.65/box.
• A phone screen protector, $59.95.
• Organic plant-based protein, $19.97.
• Maple syrup, $99.
• Makeup brush set by Sedona Lace, $109.95.
• Dining plates designed for portion control by Slimware, $29.95.
• A home spa collection with a wireless in-shower radio by Steamist, $5,060.
• Decorative and protective metal finish by Sundial Powder Coating, $500.
• Hair styling tools including a blow dryer and flat iron by Tools By Gina, $250.
• A metal pocket wallet by Zekkle Edge, $125.
• Ultherapy at 740 Park Plastic Surgery, $5,530.